Non-destructive examinations (NDE) is a group of analysis techniques used to inspect or otherwise examine one or more properties of a material, substance, component, and/or system without causing damage to the material, substance, component, and/or system being evaluated, inspected, and/or examined. The terms nondestructive testing (NDT), nondestructive inspection (NDI), and nondestructive evaluation (NDEv) are also commonly used to describe NDE. Because NDE does not permanently alter the article being examined, NDE may be a valuable technique for product evaluation, troubleshooting, and/or research.
Common NDE methods include acoustic emission testing (AE), electromagnetic testing (ET), laser testing methods (LM), leak testing (LT), magnetic flux leakage (MFL), liquid penetrant testing (PT), magnetic particle testing (MT), neutron radiographic testing (NR), radiographic testing (RT), thermal/infrared testing (IR), ultrasonic testing (UT), vibration analysis (VA), visual testing (VT), remote visual inspection (RVI), eddy-current testing (ECT), and/or low coherence interferometry (LCI). NDE is commonly used in nuclear engineering, forensic engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, systems engineering, aeronautical engineering, nautical engineering, astronautical engineering, medicine, veterinary medicine, scientific research, and the like.
Materials, components, and/or systems used in industrial settings, such as nuclear power plants (NPPs), are typically required to undergo NDE or other like inspections. NDEs are typically performed by placing an NDE probe on an object to be examined. The probe then transmits an electric current, induces a magnetic field, or transmits ultrasonic waves, and the like into the examination object. A detection system is then used to analyze the electromagnetic radiation, sound waves, or induced magnetic field in view of the inherent properties of the materials and geometry of the examined object. Based on the analysis, examination data is produced. The examination data may be analyzed and/or processed to determine one or more characteristics of the examined object. The characteristics may indicate weld characteristics, a thickness of the object, structural mechanics, and the like. The examination data is then correlated with a position and orientation of the probe. The process of correlating the examination data with the position and/or orientation of the probe may be referred to as “encoding” the examination data. The aforementioned process is then performed multiple times by changing the position and orientation of the probe and probe type. An indication of a deficiency (e.g., a crack, a fracture, and the like), including a position and orientation and approximate size of the deficiency (e.g., whether the crack or fracture is perpendicular or parallel to a weld), may be determined once a sufficient amount of examination data has been encoded.
An NDE and analysis may be performed manually (i.e., “manual examination”) or automatically (i.e., “automatic examination”). Manual examination typically requires a human operator to position and orient the probe on the examination object at a particular position of the examination object, analyzing the data produced, and then repositioning the probe onto the next examination position of the examination object. When a possible indication is observed, i.e., a potential issue in or on the examination object that requires further inspection, such as a potential crack or leak in a pipe, the operator will make physical marks in the inspection area to approximate size and orientation of the indication. These data will then be transcribed typically to paper, or in some cases single data points will be saved, but they may not be encoded. However, successful and consistent application of manual examination depends heavily on operator training, experience, and diligence because the operator is required to cover the entire inspection area of the examination object with the examination probe without missing a point or area of the examination object. Additionally, operators involved in manual examination and analysis must undertake numerous training and/or certification courses in order to conduct a proper manual examination. Furthermore, because manual examination requires a human operator to properly place a probe on an object and properly change the position and orientation of the probe, human error in handling the probe, such as not properly positioning the probe on the examination object (e.g., the probe is not situated flush and at a 90 degree position on the examination object), may adversely affect the quality and accuracy of the encoded examination data. Manual examinations also do not provide a real-time history of the areas of the pipe that have been examined by the examination probe.
Automatic examinations are examinations that are performed by one or more electro-mechanical machines. During automatic examination, an electro-mechanical machine may be incorporated into an inspection system and/or probe, and the electro-mechanical machine may perform similar positioning and orienting functions as a human operator would during a manual examination. Such electro-mechanical machines typically include a positioning and/or orientation detection device, such as an encoder wheel, which allows an operator to determine a position and/or orientation of the probe However, these electro-mechanical machines may require complex arrangements of machinery, tracks, and/or propulsion systems in order to change a position and/or orientation of the probe. For example, a probe incorporating an electro-mechanical machine may require a specialized track to be built on an examination object. By way of another example, propulsion device, such as a water thruster, may be required where the object is in an underwater environment. Building complex arrangements of machinery, tracks, and/or propulsion systems may require extensive planning and may be time consuming and expensive. Additionally, each electro-mechanical machine must be custom built for the examination object that it is designed to inspect, thereby increasing the cost of examining large complexes, such as nuclear reactors, that require the NDE examination of multiple objects. Also, there may be situations where a conventional automated examination electro-mechanical device physically is incapable of performing an examination of an object, for example, if there is an examination object that is situated in areas that do not provide enough clearance for electro-mechanical machines to operate and/or examine an examination object, or, if the examination object is of a shape that is not conducive to being examined by an electro-mechanical machine. Additionally, while automated examination electro-mechanical machines may position a examination probe at the proper angle for examining an object (e.g., 90 degrees), there are instances where it is preferable to also examine the object using an examination probe at a non-ideal angle, because the examination data from the non-ideal angle may produce indications that may not have been observable when the examination probe is held at the proper angle.